Tuesday 4 April 2017

No time to stand and stare

Busy, busy, busy! Always in a hurry.





Last time I checked, it was the last Sunday of March, and we were all set to go to a housewarming party.

I'd been busy in the morning, and at the last moment, I pulled this dress out of my wardrobe.

As luck would have it, I had the perfect little cardie to combine it with.












The empire line dress, with its solid navy crimplene bottom and flower-strewn chiffon top accentuated by a strip of orange piping, was love at first sight.

I spotted it on a dummy in a window display at last year's Retro Day, while we were queuing at the till. While Jos paid for our purchases, I made a beeline for the display and indecently exposed the poor dummy, all the while praying that the dress would actually fit.



Then, as if in the blink of an eye, it was the first Saturday of April, and I'm left reeling from the whirlwind of weekday activities in which I am engaged from Monday to Friday, only to be released on Friday afternoon.









One weekday morning, a look out of the kitchen window while I was doing the morning routine of breakfast and getting ready, prompted me to take out my camera and snap the white cloud of Clematis flowers lighting up the early morning garden.


















Other highlights of the week included going to the hairdresser's for a cut and colour on Wednesday afternoon.

Afterwards I popped into Oxfam a couple of doors away, where I snapped up this snazzy shirt for Jos.

He really has been quite spoiled lately!










It's hard to believe that W.H. Davies's wistful poem, Leisure, was written over a century ago, as it is especially relevant in this day and age. I often wish I had more time to stand and stare, to live in the moment, and not with one eye on the clock.

But, and this is especially true during the week, I am always hurrying from one thing to the next. Time pressure at the office is one thing, but much as I like keeping the weekend free for the things I love doing, there is never enough time, let alone time to stand and stare. ...

As a keen photographer - leaving the house without a camera is practically unheard of - I have developed an eye for detail, which I guess counts as a kind of "standing and staring".



When out walking, I love looking at the trees, their barks all a different texture, whimsically decorated with moss and lichen ...


...raindrops caught like pearls on fresh green foliage ...



... the first of the daisies raising their cheerful little heads on the park's lawns ...


... a pair of ducks out walking with their family of ducklings ...


... or the white or pink blossomed trees and shrubs, proudly displaying their fragile and oh so transient little flowers.

We did a round of charity shopping on Saturday, which, if the weather is fine, includes a walk in our favourite park to see the season's changes.



By the bridge, this graceful swan looked at us with doleful eyes and patiently waited until Jos had returned to the car for the remains of our picnic.

We felt like pied pipers, as Jos's return brought out the resident ducks in their multitudes, who, alerted by this noisy gaggle of geese, appeared as if out of nowhere from all over the park.


Come on guys, there's free food to be had! Let's go before the swan eats it all!

For all their loud honking, they got there far too late, and the swan actually did get it all.

For our shopping trip, I chose a dress in a lined, lightweight polyester fabric - black with a print of orange, purple flowers - with a self-fabric belt and long sleeves with elasticated cuffs, which I'm hiding in the photo.



I added a green cardie, to which I pinned a small orange polka dotted flower corsage (actually a hair clip!) as a brooch.


Green opaques, vintage orange beads and an orange plastic ring completed my outfit.










On top, I wore a green charity shopped jacket and a royal blue, flower printed scarf from Think Twice.













The results of our shopping trip were quite meagre, as was to be expected. They've exhausted all the good stuff at the retro event!



However, I couldn't leave behind this black lacy shawl.



Or this kitsch wooded souvenir plate from a place called Ysselstein, in Holland, which is joining our other two similar plates, all featuring little mills with turning sails.

Can three similar objects be called a collection?

39 comments:

  1. Yes, three is a collection (two is only a coincidence). Of course, once you have three of something you're well on your way to 30 (at least that's how it works with me).

    Blue and orange are just so fantastic together-thank you for reminding me. I'd have stripped a dummy for that dress too.

    Hope you have a lovely week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Goody. Knowing me, I'll be glad if it stops at 30 ... xxx

      Delete
  2. Both dresses are fantastic as is Jos's shirt (we have to spoil those men of our's occasionally, it wouldn't do to be accompanied by a scruff!)
    Love the ducks and the swans (they're feet always make me laugh, so ungainly when you consider their elegance!) xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no, it wouldn't do at all ;-) Back in January, we went for a walk and the pond was frozen over. You should have seen the swans walking on the ice, trying not to skid ... xxx

      Delete
  3. I'm in love with the blue dress so I'll have added to my pile please but I don't wear black so someone else can have that one. It does look lovely on you though Ann.
    Perhaps Jos and Philip could start a shirt pile for each other haha.
    Your walks are always lovely and should really encourage me to get out there and do some nature photographs of my own again. I have done any walking since we lost Kikki and that will be three years in August. Where does the time go.
    We were at the caravan in the Lake District last week and in Grange over Sands there is a large duck pond that has the most fabulous array of birds on it. We spend ages watching the antics. We are like a pair of old codgers sat on the park bench eating ice creams.
    What happened to our wild raving days haha.
    Lynn xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're trying to go for a walk, even if it's only a short one, every chance we got. There's nothing better to clear my head after a week at the office. Unless it's hunting for vintage treasure. That's pretty great too. I'm sorry but that dress is going to stay with me, it's one of my favourites! xxx

      Delete
  4. Oh I'd have fought you over that first dress. The colours, pattern and details are divine!

    You are in full throws of spring over there. I envy you. Everything is very much grey here. Clematis doesn't bloom until well into summer here.

    Loved the photos.

    bisous
    Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a feeling that dress would be right up your street, Suzanne. Oh, and this Clematis is a winter flowering one. Though I guess it will be a bit later than that in Canada. xxx

      Delete
  5. Orange cardies and lawn daisies, I am in heaven!! Gorgeous photos!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am in a hurry too during the week and there are times when I find it difficult to post on my blog!
    When I can, I love going around and notice architectural details on historic buildings...
    You always take beautiful photos in the nature!

    The souvenir plates could be the starting point for a new collection...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love architectural detail too, Dan, but our walks are usually nature walks, as I get a bit tired of the city after a week at the office. Blogging can indeed be hard work, but I love it, as it brings together all the things I love: vintage fashion, collecting, walking and photography. Oh, and writing too. xxx

      Delete
  7. Dresses with orange florals are definitely your thing, they both look fabulous, both of them have a real 30s/40s vibe about them. I particularly love the bustline of the one at the top. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Cate. It's only since I started blogging that I noticed how much orange there actually is in my wardrobe. xxx

      Delete
  8. Where does time go!! You made me chuckle when you indecently exposed the dummy. But the ends justify the means, especially when you can walk away with a beautiful dress!! I love your clothes!! And the pictures of the outdoors are heavenly...thank you for posting them.

    happy thrifting ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I'm often struggling with the concept of time. They say time moves faster the older you get, and I've definitely noticed that. xxx

      Delete
  9. im so longing for spring to spring out over here

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope it happens soon, Kate. Spring can be so lovely and invigorating. xxx

      Delete
  10. The blue and orange dress with the orange card looks great and the black with green cardi and complemented by the orange necklace looks very cheerful and vibrant, both look lovey. The Swan photo is great, it does indeed look very graceful xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sally. I do like a bit of colour! That swan really was very obliging. xxx

      Delete
  11. What a super empire line frock Ann, the print is divine and look at cool dude posing like a pro in his snazzy shirt. What did he think of The Repair Shop btw? (Hope you saw it, I got the time slightly wrong.) Your photo of the swan is stunning. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Fiona! Maybe "cool dude" should start his own blog, eh? He really liked The Repair Shop, which he recorded on our "digibox", which is part of our digital tv system here. xxx

      Delete
  12. I love seeing your nature photos, keep them coming! The clematis is stunning. I take my camera everywhere too.

    Two lovely dresses there, and a nice bit of accessorising with the hair accessory as brooch. Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Glad you like the nature photos, and my hair clip brooch. I usually take a couple of these on holiday, as I'm a little wary of losing my brooches when out walking. xxx

      Delete
  13. another collection!! ann, ann! :-)
    looove your nature shots! they´r so beautiful & quiet - i can almost smell the soil and mist..... <3
    you´r spring on legs in your bright flowered dresses and cardies and accessories! your clematis has to work hard to over shine you ;-)
    although i do not have a 9-5 job i have this feelings too at the moment. our live is full of stressful chores and appointments since the year started. i´m soooo ripe for a big rest - half a year in an ashram maybe?? ;-)
    very delicate lace shawl! so pretty!
    xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, Beate, I'm incorrigible. Half a year somewhere quiet and relaxing (but within reach of a charity shop or two) sounds quite nice! xxx

      Delete
  14. Those windmill plates are ace! As is your empire line dress - I've never seen one with that sort of scalloped waist part before.

    Three could be a collection. Can't see why not. A very carefully streamlines one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mim. It's the scalloped waistline which cinched the deal for me. Knowing me, the collection won't say streamlined for long, though. xxx

      Delete
  15. You are very good at ORANGE! I love your first outfit! Brilliant- so stylish and well matched and of course, vibrant!
    I love your pretty photos of the town- so Spring-like and gorgeous!!x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Kezzie. The orange thing is very strange, as it wouldn't be my first choice of colour if asked. xxx

      Delete
  16. I love having daisies in the lawn, what lovely spring pictures. the greens are so vibrant at this time of year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Gisela. It's a pity the early spring greens don't stay with us a little longer. xxx

      Delete
  17. Dear Ann, thank you so much for introducing yourself the other day over at my blog. I love your blog - love vintage fashion, your elegance and bold colors (we share love of orange, redheads I guess :). It is wonderful that you can still make some time in your busy life to stand and stare! And then to share it with all of us! Your blog is wonderful!!

    My husband is partly Belgian, and I can see some of his features in your husband's and even in your face! Now I know what it is!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, Natalia. I'm so glad you like my blog. It'll be a sad they when I no longer have time to stand and stare. How great that your husband is partly Belgian. You really are a very multi-cultural family! xxx

      Delete
  18. thanks for sharing this poem, which I've never read before, and now it's a favorite!, yes! And I always enjoy your pictures, those details that caught your eye!
    I love that you found an orange cardi to match your fabulous dress, such a great combo!!. I also like your floral dress, which looks lovely with a green cardi and jacket, and matching tights! and orange accessories!! Gorgeous!
    besos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you like the poem, it's one of my favourites too. xxx

      Delete
  19. Two beautiful dresses here! Love them.

    The gardener has just mowed all the daisies down here. Mean man 😩 xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Melanie. You are paying this man for mowing down your daisies? Calls himself a gardener ... ;-) xxx

      Delete
    2. Oh no, it's a communal garden, I don't get a say! He mowed round a primrose though xxx

      Delete